Laet was born into a wealthy family and he therefore received a good education including languages. He published important early descriptions of the New World, as well as Spain, Italy, and Persia. He became one of the directors of the famous Compagnie des Indes (Dutch West-Indes Company).

Rare. Laet's book on stones, gems and shells, illustrated in the liber secundus with woodcuts, among them several handsome ones of shells. Included in Greek with Latin translation by Daniele Furlano, is Theoprastus' treatise on stones. Furlano's translation had appeared in the collect edition (Hanau, 1605), but was revised, with additions for this Leyden 1647 edition.